£268 
.K275 




.liADING HERALD 

Jstablished 1881. 
McCORMICK 4.i Editor and Proprietor 

HERALD BUILDING, 13 N. 5TH ST. 





READING, PA., APRIL 18, 1910. 







V 



^ 




m M 

TtlEpW 

Damping round here? 



MR. KEIM TELLS ALL ABOUT 
^HEM-2000 OF THEM IN ALL- 
^ MANY WORKED FOR FARMERS 
.1 IN OL 
TER 



EY AND ALSACE— A HIES- 
ON BOTH SIDES. 



, Now that the Daughters of the Amer- 
ican Revolution are planning to erect 
tuJ!' L *" commemorate the spot 
^^ here the Hessians camped. Peg. 
&a^MU^£im,Jias gone delvin^-fflW 
history and prepared a very interest- 

^vho those Hessians were. He writes: 
A press editorial alluding to tlip re- 
cent Washington's Birthdav competi- 
tion for the D. A. R. gold piece by 
students of the Girls' High School of 
Heading suggested, while "The Hessian 
C.amp' is familiar by name, very few 
know how it originated. The literature 
(^ the Hessians in America in German 
m otticial and personal form is volum- 
Tous and interesting. 

It seems a duty of our Berks Coun- I 
ty Chapter to supp]-.- this absence of 
information concerning one of our most 
interesting localities associated with 
^ho military operations uf the War of 
idependence^ For that reason "the i 
lowing ^^ niostly from original 
•man data, hasbeo.i assembled 
MOTHER AGAINST BROTHER 



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i-oiz ana Peter_ Kachleia. whJch save 
American Revolutionary history that 
in ..heir first battl- on Am-rican soil, 
t'le Hessian mercei aries ofrhe Royal 
Army of Kin.?r George were confronted 
by their patriotic former countrymen 
in the Continental Army of General 
Washington. Also the earliest and 
later Hessian prisoners taken in bat- 
tle were sent to the German-American 
town of Reading, Pa., for safeguard 
until exchanged. whi(;^ gave origin to 
the "Hessian Camp" on the pictures- 
que mountain side east of our city. 
Still another coincidence is that the 
guard placed over themi was com- 
posed of men by birth or immediate 
descent. Ian^uage|lfc>ligion, habits and 
customs. (^rmcI^PP of the .same race. 
_ On a mid-August day of 1776 the 
first division of Hessians, 8000 strong, 
commanded by Lieutenant-General 
Philip Von Hiester, entered Sandy 
Hook and landed upon Staten Island, 
amid the wildest demonstrations of 
cannon, musketry, ruffle of drums and 
shouts of welcome by the British 
army under General Howe. 

GERMANS SAVED ENGLISH. 
This timely arrival very likelv saved | 
the English, who had been driven out 
of Boston, from defeat, as thev now I 
had 25,000 to 30,000 regular troops of i 
both nationalities and of all anna, j 
against Washington's 12,000, chiefly 
militia and without experience in bat- 
tle. 

On August 22 the British and Hes- 
sian armies crossed the Narrows, land- 
ed on Long Island and advanced at ; 
once into action in the vicinity of ! 
Brooklyn, the Hessian Chasseurs and j 
Gresadiers under Von Donop in ad- 
vance. 

It is not necessary to the purpose 
of this narrative to go into detaVls of 
this first contact of arms. A very en- 
tertaining eye-witness account is pre- 
served in the diary of "A Hes«ian Of- 
ficer." printed the following » year in , 
Prankford-on-the-Main, Geriiany, of 
the beautiful country through which j 
the army marched: the fine/farms and! 
houses, cultivated fields, 'Evidences of ■ 
prosperity everywhere and a thrifty \ 
people, in his opinion "Jackanapes 
and fools" for fighting: a sovereign 
whose rule had made such signs of 
comfort and former contentment pos- 
sible. No doubt the conditions were 
quite in contrast to what the diarist 
had left at home. 

AN UNPLEASANT SURPRISE. 

The same author^ity and others later 
thought the AmeAcans were good 
fighters and very ^^perior marksmen 
to the Hessians' sorrow. They ex- 
pected to walk over them as soldiers. 

In the course of thLs first battle the 
~^«^sians ran against two battalions of 
county ] \'litia ^imiJe®.. -NriVT^niaJ 



^1? 



A^otz ana Peter Kachleui, which gave 
them such strong resistance as to 
drive them to the conclusionf[ that 
fighting- in America would not be a 
"pickenick" nor a "Schutzenfest." 

In the battle of Long Island, which 
i occurred Aug. 22. 1776, about six weeks 
' after the Declaration of Independence, 
the obstinate resistance of the Berks 
County German Militia gave Washing- 
ton one of his best chances of saving 
his army by crossing to New York 
when he discovered that the British 
were in force more than two to one. 
As a result of their obstinate stand 
the Lotz and Kachlein Berks-German 
Battalions were taken prisoners. 
Among the officers captured were 
Lieut. Cols. Lotz and Kachlein, Major 
Edward Burd, Captains Jacob Graul, 
Joseph Hiester and Jacob Mauser, all 
Germans except Burd. But Washing- 
ton had made good his retreat so the 
result justified the sacrifice. It wats 
an interesting incident that a Hessian 
Hiester com.manded the Mercenaries 
and an American Hiester one of the 
resisting German companies. 

30,000 HIRED SOLDIERS. 
And now let us record a little history. 
The number of German Mercenaries 
and recruits sent to America 1776-83 
was nearly 30,000 divided among Ger- 
man principalities: 

Hesse Cassel 16,992 

Brunswick ■ • ■ -^m-J 5,723 

Hesse llanal0f^jlll^n ,. . . . 2,422 

Anspach-Beyrfeuth •. 2,353 

Waldeck 1,225 

Anhalt-Zerbst 1460 



Total 29,875 

Of this number 18.000 sailed for 
America in 1776. the first year of the 
revolution. Of thesejf7.313 returned to 
Germany at the close of war, and 
12,562 remained in the States. Of the 
latter 1,200 were killed. 6,354 died of 
wounds, sickness or accident and 5,008 
deserted. 

Not a few of the latter settled in 
Berks and became useful citizens of 
the young Republic. 

It may be enquired how did their 
employment come about. The sale of 
men for military purposes was a busi- 
ness with some of the German princes 
in that day. What was known in a 
general sense as Germany in 1776 re- 
sembled a political crazy quilt madd 



of about 300 principalities, electorates, 
Bishoprics, free cities and about 1400 
quasi-independent Knights of the Em- 
pire. Soine of these petty states were 
not as large as Berks county and one 
at least not 1-3 the size of Reading in 
population. 






OTHERS DID THEIR FIGHTING. 

-It IS a curious fact in n:ost wars in 
which Engrland Avas engaged with 
cuihzed nations, flgrhting: was largely 
,done by others. It is one of the inci^ 
, dents of Waterloo that Wellington 
\ was so near capture by K^^^sJ^n as 
i o pray aloud that night ♦j^HBlucher 
\ (commanding the Germans) might 
: come. He saved the day. 
I In 1775 PJngland made great efforts 
J to secure the services of 20,000 soldiers 
jfrom Pa,s.sia which was declined. Some 
i of the petty Princes of Germany of- 
fered theirs. Frederick the Great dis- 
countenanced the whole business and 
put obstacles in the way of the hired 
troops crossing his territories in order 
to reach the seaboard. It was said 
the Prince of Waldeck kept a stock 
farm to raise men for the Dutch mili- 
tary market and sent 1225 to America 
as a side speculation. The Prince of 
Anhalt-Zerbst had but 420,000 subjects 
and yet could spare for sale near 1200 
for America. He was brother of the 
I famous Catherine II, of Russia, who 
had a friendly leaning towards the 
fighting colonists. 

WELL-PAID FOR HIRELINGS 
The landgrave of Hesse Cassel 
*pared nearly 17,000 out of a popula- 
tion of 300,000. The count of Hess- 
Harju, .son of the last named, received 
a si3bsidy of 92,000 pounds, about $477 ^ 
120, present mmv a year for his con- 
tmgent of about 2500. 
The Duke of Brunswick-Luneberg 

6000 pocketmg 160,000 pounds or $777- 
600 from the bargain. 

The Margrave of Beyreuth, out of a 
population of 400.000, sold 2353 realiz- 

$48b,000. It should be mentioned that 
he policy Of the empire was opposed 
to this solicitation of blood money, but 
fh ""^ .u"*"* ^^ prevented. Prussia In 
the North and Austria in the Southeast ^ 
were opposed to it, but the petty gov- ' 
ernments had their own way 
tlon J,?%J^^PP^;;^d the curious condi- 
tion of King George II of England 
having in his employ 6000 Hessians 
figrhtlng against an equal numbe; ?n 
^iT Vh" army of the Emperor, 

I FOUGHT IN MANY WAftS. 

About a half century earlier a num- 
ber of the.se Germans were In the paid 
service of Venice fighting the Turks. 
In 1702. 9000 were employed in the wars 
of the Maritime powers and four years 
later 11,500 were fighting in Italy. The 
treaties for the employment of the 
Hessians before Parliament met with 
much open criticism, but the King and 
his mihistry were not to be moved. 

'^h^ Brunswickers were the first to 



iU 



set off. Curiously their .ailing- from 
.Stcide, near the mouth of the Elbe 
took place on the 44th anniversary 

Z^^^.^''"^^^' ""^ ^^°''^^ Washington, 
Feb. 22, 1776. These landed on Staten 
Island. Others followed landing at 
^ew York and some at Quebec, who 
served and surrendered under Bur- 
goyne. 

In gross Eng-land paid upward 1,770- 
000 pounds sterling-, $8,602,200 for the 
services of the Hessians in America in 
^vy money and subsidies paid to the 
German princes in addition to the pay 
of the soldiers. This with the cost of 
supply and fighting material must have 
aggregated more than again as much 
probably in all not far from $20,000 000 
As a rule the Hessians were good 
soldiers from the European standard. 
The Br^nsweichers were particularly 
noted at home. 

DESERTED TO OUR ARMY. 
A number who had deserted from 
jthe Hess-ian colors were anxious to en- 
jUst in the Continental Army, but 
[Washington was decidedly opposed to 
their enrollment. No objection was 
mad e to t ^gl{i^ecQmitijr_^cl^t izen s. It is 



M 



known some of them did get into 
Pulaski's famous legion composed 
largely of Pennsylvania Germans. 
Weiderhold, a Hessian captain in cap- 
tivity at Reading early in 1780, men- 
tions in his journal two squadrons of 
Armends mounted Corps, numbering: 
400 strong, passing through that town, 
practically all German deserters. 

The He.ssians played a prominent 
part in all the principal campaigns of 
the British during the war with the 
Colonies and met with proportionately 
heavier losses. In running over the 
list of battles in which they were en- 
gaged, we find Long Island and opera- 
tions around New York where they lost 
many men. In the storming of Fort 
W^ashington they sustained 56 killed 
and 78 wounded. At Trenton 17 killed 
and 78 wounded, besides 1,000 prisoners, 
a portion of whom were sent to Read- 
mg^or s^fe-keeping, and also in action 
at pssinpink. Jan. 1777. 

SA\/eD HESSIAN COLORS. 

In the Burgoyne campaign &ept.-Oct., 
1777, culminatirte-in the Saratoga sur- 
render, Von RtMesal commandeVithe 
Hessians and Baroness von RSSesel 
with her three little girls pa.ssed 
through all its perils and hardships. 
After the surrender by means of a wo- 
man's shrewdness, the baroness se- 
creted and saved the Hessian colore 
although those of the English we 
captured. 

She also left - 
-^f that campai'/ 
in A.meric^-^ 



Baum ost 365. It was upon this oc 
casion that Col. Stark, who had rallied 
the surrounding- farmers, said: "We'll 
Znu ^i^°^^.He.^9ians before ni^ht or 
Molly Stark's a widow." He not onlv 
killed Baum and killed and wounded 
many men, but ba.erged this part of 
the outfit besides killing and wounding 
231 Of Breyman's Hessians hastening to 
his rehef. The Hessian loss at Sara- 
oga was 190 killed. 378 wounded and 
^431 taken prisoners. 

r^J^t ^'^.""^^ ^'''"'^' ^^"^^' surrendered 
numbered 5791. The total German loss 
in the Mohawk Valley at Bennington 
and Saratoga m killed, wounded and 
missing- wa.s 1122, besides the surrend- 
ered men. Some of the Hessians from 
Saratoga were held at Reading until 
, exchanged. In the Brandywine, cap- 
I ture of Philadelphia and Germantown 
I 1rZT'^''.u ^^'^ ^^" °^ ^^^7 '=>f Howe's 

nnZ 'II I ''""''^ '^'^ ^'^^^ Germans 
! under Knyphausen. 

' ,"^2^^^ GIVE NO QUARTER. 

At Red Bank, below Philadelphia, on 
I the Jersey side, the Hessians discbv- 
ered the fighting metal of which Con- 
tinentals were made. In October, 1777 
^ Count \on Donop, a young H.essian of- 
jficer of promise, with three battalians 
!of Grenadiers, fouK companies of Chas- 
seurs and eight^ms, marched to the 
capture of that^rt. Van Dc^on sent 
summons to surrender, announcing to 
the American commander that if de- 
clined no quarter would be given The 
American replied: "We will fight it 
out on that issue." 

When Von Donop was taken several 

American soldiers clamored to give him 

• .._ (rg'iil' m ae.r l^ n.-S o . vcf 'I'C h - p ggw) 

l"Yes," said Don on -..'"^^^ ^^^t^^^' 
(fwager. I am in vn ^' u^^^^ ^^« the 
Jto accep th^ ZlZlTZtt-^^y 

fi^^ w^^:;:^^- -i Syonets 

nifrderous threat Of h/.^'' "^^^^ ^^^ 
Tftrough the^ntpi "^^'"'^ Hessian. 

they desisSd. Am' rg"?Lm' '''''''' 
young Officer Van Dn, ^^^^"^ ^ 

"You seem not to h^ ' "^ f^claimed: 
^No, I am a F^L^T,- - " American. 

.his arms about "^^rv?" throwing 
claimed: "Thank r^' r \?'' ^^"^^ ^X" 
hrace of bono? " ^ ^'^ ^^ the em- 

Messlans ateo foul? .P''?^^ ^^Pi^ed. 
adiers \n^d Ph^^ detachment 






■i 



with heavy Idsees lu proporuon or the force 
engaged at , Stone I^rry, Charleatou, Spring- 
fieW and GiiilfordJ Court House and Green 
Sjyring. | 

THEIR LOSSES WERE BIG. 

The trattor Arnold had 100 Hessians iu his 
Virginia expedition. At the finish of their 
fightiag in America, at Yorktown, accord- 
ing to German accounts, they lost, killed, 
53; wounded, 131; missing, 27, not counting 
the officers and men surrendered. Also 10 
Englisih and 18 Hesisian regimental stand- 
ard's taken. 

The American accounts place the Hessiane 
at 1924 out of 7251 officers and men of Corn- 
wallis' army surrendered at Yorktown, 

The^Heseians' were not used exclusively to 
fight/Americans. In 1778, 1200 Waldeckers 
and English were detached to strengthen the 
garrisons in West Florida. The following 
year three companies of the s-ame Heeaians 
were sent on au unsuccessful expvdiiiou 
again'S.: the Spaninde at Baton-Rouge, 
Louisiana. 

The total lossee of the Hessiansi in battle 
were, killed 548, wounded 1652, missing 127 
In addition^ to those taken, prisoners. 

Aggregately at different times through the 
war approxiia-.iately 2000 or more Hessians 
were held prisoners at the Hessians' Camp 
at Reading. It wae not unus^ual for pris- 
oners to be permitted to work for farmers 
of Alsace, Oley, etc. It is not likely many 
of these tilled aay more Germaxi soil. 

The Declaration of Indepeadence made 
special allusion to the British Govern- 
ment "at this time transporting large armies 
of foreign mercenaries to cornplete the 
works of death, desolation and tyranny al- 
ready begun," etc. 

INDUCEMENTS TO DESERT. 

It is evident that the Hessians were aot 
despised as men, although, they were in their 
attitude of mercenaries for which they were 
not responsible. The Continental Congress 
mjade special efforts to induce them to de- 
sert. In April, 1778, a proclajiration was cir- 
ciilated' among them offering 50 acres to 
e\ery soldier aad to any captain with 40 
m^n, 800 acres and cattle and hogs to stock 
them if they would desert and were not to 
be required to do mllitairy duty. 

A great deal has been said by writers 
prejudiced or unfamiliar with the subject 
to cast doubt upon the attitude of Frederick 
the Great. A letter of his is in existence 
dated June 18, 1776, to Veltaire, in which 
the warrior king expresses coutem.pt for the 
"Men-selling" princes of Geruran blood, 
and would throw every impediment in their 
way. The celebrated Gerrojan poet Schiller 
in hie tragedy of Cabale(K^d Liebe. written 
during the time the Hessians were in the 
English service in America, introduced a 
protest against the traffic. 

NOT AS BAD AS PAINTED. 

Interesting occurrences associated with Hes- 
sian prison life on Mt. Penn might be nar- 
rated from their own journals. I might go 
back to departure fromi their home land, 
portray the agonies of separation from pa- 
renite, wives, diildrea and frienda when, they 



Ibade their last farewell. How driven like 
beasts they were scourged by orders of 
their princes on the miareh to point of em- 

jbarkation and the cruelties practiced upon 

(I those who uselessly attempted to resist. 
This side of the portraiture shows that the 

I Hessian eoldiler in every instance was not 

['{ as bad as he is now painted. . 



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